apnea

noun

ap·​nea ˈap-nē-ə 

1

: transient cessation of respiration

especially : sleep apnea

2

: asphyxia sense 1

Examples of apnea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Severe complications include pneumonia and apnea, says Harris. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025

The agency’s data reveal that the most common complications for children younger than one are apnea—pauses in breathing that can be life-threatening—and pneumonia. —Chantelle Lee, Time, 15 Apr. 2025

Treatment Options Sleep apnea is a lifelong, progressive disease and patients need to be educated about all available treatment options besides CPAP to manage their condition effectively. —Maria Sokolina, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

One, a potassium channel antagonist, is taken as a nasal spray and improved apneas in a small trial this year. —Matt Fuchs, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from a- + -pnea

First Known Use

circa 1719, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing apnea

• sleep apnea

Medical Definition

apnea

noun

ap·​nea

variants or chiefly British apnoea

ˈap-nē-ə  ap-ˈnē- 

1

: transient cessation of respiration whether normal (as in hibernating animals) or abnormal (as that caused by certain drugs) see sleep apnea

2

: asphyxia

apneic adjective

or chiefly British apnoeic

ap-ˈnē-ik